The Soul's Fire

Chapter 4

  Lithuania got out and went around to help Masha out of the car. He blushed when she took his hand, but she didn't seem to notice. She was gazing up at the house without a single trace of fear in her eyes, only a mild curiosity.
"Thank you for the ride," she murmured. "You work here too?"
"Something like that," he sighed. "Need help with your bag?"
"No, but thanks," she smiled.
Lithuania bit his lip, blushing harder. She was really pretty. She followed him into the house in silence.
"I'm supposed to take you to see Mister Russia," he said, turning to face her.
"Mr. Braginski?" she asked, a note of curiosity finding its way into her voice. "Yes, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to meet him."
Lithuania, now having major misgivings about what she would do when she actually met Russia, obligingly led her to Russia's office.
Russia was doing some paperwork, but stopped when Lithuania led Masha in.
"Ah, Lithuania, you're back," he greeted. "This must be Miss Masha Abakumova, then, da?"
"It's just Masha," she said evenly, meeting the country's gaze without a trace of evident fear.
Lithuania's eyes widened from the defiant tone in her voice, but Russia merely raised an eyebrow, taking in her appearance.
"You were hit a lot," he commented after a moment.
That was when Lithuania noticed it for the first time. Almost every inch of the girl's skin that wasn't concealed by the white fabric of her dress was covered in old cuts, bruises, and scars. It wasn't just the scar on her face like he'd thought originally, although that one was still most prominent. It wasn't even just the others he had noticed in the car. Her skin practically was a scar.
"It's done and passed," Masha said crisply. "It doesn't matter anymore. There's no point dwelling on it anymore."
"You start tomorrow," Russia said, a slight frown on his face from the way that she'd spoken to him. "You can go now. Lithuania, show her to her room."