✧ Hollow Forest; Secrets from Within ✧

Chapter 8 • As Far as The Storm takes us

America turned up the light on the lantern next to his desk, the dark winter night's wind softly slapping his face as he sat back down.

He glanced at the sheet of wrinkled paper below him, his messy yet neat hand-writing scribbled all over the plain but now wrinkled sheet of paper.

The prince rubbed his eyes, unable to keep his eyes peeled for any longer as he got up from the chair softly.

In his loose royal pajamas he slumped onto his bed, a small rush of blush dusted his cheeks as he flipped himself over and stared at the ceiling.

"You will stumble and fall my dearest child, but do not give up hope."

"Even if me and your father don't get to you in time, you must never give up hope. America,"

"Swallow your pride if you have to, and love someone who you want to."

America turned to his side pulling his blanket to cover his legs and half of his torso, his sunglasses off his face he laid there—

Until a rush of tiredness came over him and he too succumbed to the dread of slumber.

On the other side of the shared dorm, Russia also painstakingly flopped down onto his own bed. The cold night air never bothered the Russian, courtesy of his own ability he twisted and turned on his bed. His left arm aimlessly dangled off the bed whenever he turned towards the side where there was no wall and creaking window.

The Russian blushed slightly at the thought of the Prince on his bed sleeping, well, peacefully.

Russia scratched his head as he began closing his eyes and let himself be engulfed in the calmness and darkness of the dreamworld.

A young boy ran through the icy fields of the Northern Territory, there hair sparked in a white to blue to red messy ball was lazily done.

The sounds of laughing echoed across the wind, but the storm was picking up speed. As the horizon grew darker, the village beyond the field grew silent and still like it was frozen in time.

A loud bang rang out from within the fields as a lone Asphodel was cut from its roots.

The young male rushed towards the village-square a shorter girl with red and green hair raced behind the first boy.

Behind the two landed another person this time someone that looked like they were in their teenage years adorning a pair of golden wings on their back.

The winged teen pushed the boy and the girl in a gentle manner into a medium-sized home, another boy this time shorter then the winged teen wearing a flower crown mixed with a few ribbons rushed in.

The flowercrown boy raced upstairs as the three kids below managed to shut the windows of the oddly decorated home, the girl sitting on the ground as the two boys raced around the bottom floor.

"Father will be back, he is getting food." One of them remarked softly.

A crow stalked the windows of the home as the flowercrown boy returned to the bottom floor,

"The shutters are closed, big brother." They said.

The winged teen nodded and wrapped their golden wings around the two youngest of the unknown quartet.

But, their father would never return on that night.

A red creature laid lifeless in the clearing, lifeless white eyes stared into the darkness of the storm, turned hurricane as blood splattered everywhere.

An harsh winter followed that storm, burying the once lush field of sunflowers under a mountain of snow and ice.

Only a blooming winter flower remained standing, the village illuminated a lonely and empty aura as only a few neighs of horses could be heard from within.

A villager knocked on the door of the home covered in icicles, "There is a letter for your father, he won't answer the village link." The villager spoke in a voice of worry.

The door clicked open as the winged teen peaked his head out the gap,

"I have no idea where— papa is." The oldest of the children, replied quietly as the villager handed him the letter.

Pristinely decorated in a white-gold envelope and beautiful beige ribbon.

"Thank you. . ." The boy said as the villager nodded, the villager's reptile tail wagged silently as the older turned around and started walking towards a small open alleyway.

Inside the home the 4 children laid restless on tarnished sleeping mats and oil-lanterns as they waited for the winter to clear but it would be many weeks until that happened, or will it ever?

A roar sounded throughout the lands as a mighty thunderbolt rained down from the dark sky, the sounds of hooves clashing against the ground echoed, before everything was engulfed in a tarnished white blizzard.

Russia woke up with a loud thud and some pressure to his head as he sprang up from his half comfortable and half rock-hard bed.

He swung his legs off the bed and proceeded to sit up and stretch his arms and legs.

The Russian took out a pair of gloves and a long sleeved shirt, bandages littered his arms as he casually pulled on the grey shirt.

His ushanka was slightly tilted from his restless dreaming and slumber as he tied up the flaps and left it at that.

He exited his room but not before taking a small pocket knife with him. As he walked into the living space of his dorm his white eyes landed on the shorter figure of the prince, America.

The royal look incredibly pristine and tidy not only his hairstyle but in his uniform as well! The prince wore the school's uniform with what he thought to be a constellation clip, but he wouldn't know since his was confiscated after he used it to prank one of the professors in the environmental department.

Russia blushed at the thought of the prince before shaking his head and covering his mouth.

Russia darted towards the fridge, opening the freezer and pulling out an ice tray shoving them hard down on the table as the ice cubes one by fell out and into a blue mug.

"Oi, Russia. Do you want lemon juice , tea or regular water." America spoke up as he took a tea kettle off the stove top.

"Water," The taller replied as he closed the refrigerator door.

The American complied grabbing the cup and pouring regular mineral water into it before sliding it towards the Russian.

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I am back! This chapter was a bit shorter then planned but, the next chapter is going to be a bit longer and will hopefully introduce some very important characters to the storyline! (+character lore & Backstory)

So as a spoiler have the chapter name! "A Song-less Bird and a Broken Key,"

- Author Ettie out!