Chapter Text
The land streched out far and wide as a mother softly held her small starry eyed child in her arms, carressing his hair while they looked on to the world so gorgeously displayed through the extravagant balcony window in front of them. The purples and oranges swishing together against the sun and the clouds with rocky shadows. The child blinked a couple times, an innocent smile on his face as he looked back up to his mother and spoke, his dimples showing, "Mamma, why doesn't Papa let you leave like you want to." That was something his mother didn't expect her angelic child to ask so promptly, as proven by the sudden sadder smile that took place on her face, as she responded with a haunting voice,
"Your father wants me to be here to protect you, aarre." She mulled over, pecking his cheek with a kiss of adoration.
The small child of seven nearly jumped in excitement."Really, mamma?!" The boy asked excitedly, now a wide grin on his face as he stoodup in his mother's lap. "That's wonderful!" He exclaimed and kissed her cheek happily.
His mother only nodded as he said something about getting closer to the balcony, both getting up, with the child in his mother's arms. They both approached the edge as the mother let down her child and he happily ran around, observing every angle and pointing things out to his mother.
But then he suddenly shut his mouth, as he saw his mother, now standing on the firm railing. "Mamma?" He asked out to his mother as she gave one last pitiful smile before—
He woke up, covered in sweat with his head throbbing and in his familiar bed. He gasped in a few breaths before finally getting off and taking in more breaths, and then walking around the room, finally to the window where he waited and watched the sun as it rose in the east.
He needed to calm himself down, no one in the whole of the manor knew of what ge was going through so he didn't exactly have a therapist he could ring, no matter how badly he wanted one.
Finally, letting out a sigh, he crawled back over to his bed, trying to get some more sleep before a maid came banging at his door, telling him to wake up. He sughed once more before slipping into an uncomfortable, dreamless sleep.
Meanwhile, as the most eligible bachelor of all of Sweden was getting ready for his Father's Birthday Banquet, he said to his chaperon for the day, "Hugo, who else is invited?"
Hugo hummed, "Only the countries part of Scandinavia."
He nodded curtly, "Estonia, as well?"
The chaperon shook his head, as he saw in the mirror, "No, sir."
"I request Victoria's presence." And he shook of the chaperon with a flick of his wrist. Moment later, a fair and beautiful woman dressed in a splendid navy blue ball gown walked into his dressing room.
"You called?" She asked, as the brunette fixed his collar.
"I did." He turned to face her. "Can you request father to invite Estonia?"
Victoria narrowed her eyes, "They aren't really part of Scandinavia, now are they?"
He scoffed, "Well no, but Finland won't come if Estonia won't."
"Who said that?"
"Some sources."
"Vague much, and why not?"
"Going through some peace-treaty thing, I think." He sifted a hand through his hair.
"Dont ruin your hair." She folded her arms, "I'll bring this up to Father, but do not blame me if he rejects."
"Bring up my name and he won't." He said before turning around and picking at his hair, looking in th mirror. He sighed as soon as he stopped hearing Victoria's heels clacking.
Further westward, a dashing young, excitable prince was currently sat in his dining room accompanied by his older brother, Haakon, his younger sister, Martha, his mother and his father. His older brother and his father were going on about some political arguement that had happened with the politicians. Him, his sister and his mother sat quietly, eating their breakfast.
After breakfast was over, his father cleared his throat. "Go to your dressing rooms and get ready for Harald's Banquet today. I don't want tardiness." He glared in his direction specifically.
He grinned nonetheless before harmonising with his siblings, "Yes, father." They chorused and ran off to their respective quarters.
Then to the seemingly colder east, in the beautiful place known to the world as Helsinki, a grumpy tired man scratched at his chin as several servants ran left and right and brought clothing to him for Sweden's king's banquet.
"Do I really need to go?" He questioned one of the fidgeting servants trying to get his hat on.
"Yes, sir." The fidgeting servant managed to put it on and left. The tired man noticed his bold answer. Well, that definetely meant he had to go, no matter what the consequence.
He groaned out loud, sliding down his chair and facepalming, this meant that he actually had to be nice to that twat in the Norwegian Royal Family, who will undoubtedly be invited. "Why are we even going, we're a democracy, they're royalty, it's so pointless." He mumbled under his breath.
His ambassador heard him and chuckled, "Have you not been paying attention to your history classes, sir?" He only shook his head, maintaining his horrible posture until he was scolded. He sat up straight with a low groan escaping his throat.
His ambassador went on to say why they were attending and he just inwardly groaned through the whole speech, "Are we clear?"
He looked up glaring, "Yes." He muttered out.
"Clear and loud, sir!" His ambassador yelled, a smile on his face.
"Alright, alright!" He said. His ambassdor only chuckled in response.
Across the sea, back to the inappropriately named land, a soft man in a black and silver dress-suit was humming to himself, fixing down the cuffs around his wrists. He then moved on to his collar, smoothing it down with his hands, while looking in mirror.
Then the the knob of his door handle twisted and in came a dashing gentleman, carrying a young girl of four in his arms happily. "Viktor, father needs you upstairs."
"How quick?" He asked in a calm and polite manner, turning around to face his half-brother and sister.
"He seemed in haste, so I recommend you go as quick as you can." His brother raised a brow. Viktor patted his arms and took off to his father's study, and as he expected, his father sat there, looking out the balcony window at the clear day.
Viktor flinched before anouncing his presence. "Ah, Viktor," His father turned and glared stared into his eyes, " I hope you know that you are old enough to not mention your mother in a public audience." He stressed the word in such a frightful manner that Viktor almost took a step back.
In a flurry, he blinked his eyes a couple of times before nodding and bowing his head. His father dismissed him and he walked back to his room, it was going to be wonderful to see his childhood friends from across the sea again.
Taking some peace in that thought he smiled, stppping at a window and gazing outside.
Way westward and a little down east, a young and inspired girl is watching troops of her family's military train. Then they stop and salute to the flag as the start singing their national anthem and with such power that the girl can't help but tense up, stand straight and salute.
She grins in their general direction and a maid scurries to her side, "Ma'am! We've been informed that we've been invited to the banquet that Sweden is holding?"
In her head, she knew it was the third born's doing immediately. He really did want to have a proper meeting for the past three years, but she didn't expect him tp go on this way.
"Right." She said as she followed after the servant, ready to get dressed and head put to one of the most anticipated galas of all of Scandinavia.
She smiled as she wondered if the grumpy man from Finland was going to be there.