Essence of Demise | ThirdUnion

27: Beautiful Family

Reich could not remember what had happened.

When he woke up he was in his bed, still dressed in his clothes from the previous day.

He stumbled out, pushing his covers off, ignoring his crown that sat modestly on the table beside him, and pushed his door open forcefully.

Down every hall and through every door he went searching and yelling until every maid, servant, guard, guest, and king was awake in the palace's walls.

Reich couldn't stop calling out for Russia, looking for his eldest son like any mother to their kin.

But there was no little Russia in the castle.

Reich was growing frustrated. He couldn't keep wasting time slamming doors all morning.

Plenty of servants and maids were already watching him, everyone seemed to have been awakened from his shouting and rambling.

Even when he was asked multiple times to return to his bedroom, to wait for the sun to rise at least, Reich refused. He would not rest for a single moment until his son was brought right back into his arms.

It wasn't until Reich was done searching in the castle's confines that he tried to push towards the walls, he would have moved his search to the whole village if he could, yet he was stopped at the doors.

His eyes were wide as he stared at the door, full of hatred and stress as he yelled and demanded for the guards to let him through.

Yet no one would listen to him, no one would move even an inch.

Eventually, and unfortunately Reich's yelling had awakened the bear. Who came trolling through the castle's doors without a hint of remorse in his eye.

He looked incredibly annoyed with the German, and despite Reich yelling at him he was quickly shushed off. Pushed to the side, and soon had some guards drag him off, back to his room.

Reich was stuck in there until the sun finally rose, yet the German didn't sleep or stop his protesting.

He spent the morning pacing his room, waiting for that dumb Russian to arrive so he could slap some more sense into him.

Yet the Reich couldn't feel that brave anymore, not when the Soviet did finally enter their room.

He was sitting on the bed now, his arms crossed defensively when the door finally opened, the Russian didn't knock, he just entered.

The two made eye contact immediately. Both annoyed with each other's antics.

"So what made you think running around the halls and screaming all morning would be a good idea?" Soviet's eye was sharp and unblinking for a moment, as he continued moving deeper into the room.

Reich bit his tongue, not responding for a moment as he watched the other.

"Where the hell did you take Russia?" Reich glared at the man hatefully, demanding answers. He wasn't pleading yet but he hoped he wouldn't have to. "What did you do?"

"I only did what was necessary." Soviet shrugged nonchalantly, his expression almost bored looking. "Now if you keep acting like a manic child then you will be treated like one."

When Reich only responded with a glare, Soviet continued, "You've already embarrassed me enough in front of my family, and now you're acting like this?" The Russian stepped closer to the German.

Reich's eyes had to move up as Soviet moved closer, the man was so much taller than him, especially now, where his intimidating height seemed more impressive than ever.