•Countryhumans Lore•

I Promise

Context: It's 1867. The Russian Empire says that Alaska is nothing more than a waste of time. If anything, she's just hard to defend from enemies, causing him to sell the teenager to the United States of America. They meet to make the exchange.

Alaska's POV

     The Russian Empire nearly drags me into the conference room. The walls are a disgusting green color and the floors are hardwood. A huge table is in the center of the room but only one person sits at it.

     I don't recognize him at all. An arrangement of stars and stripes cover his face. He looks at the Russian Empire and me with a goofy smile as he gets up from his seat and walks over to us.

     They chitchat about some boring stuff that I don't pay attention to. Then I hear my name.

     "America, this is Alaska," Russian Empire starts. "Alaska, say 'hi'."

     He tugs at my hand as he holds it firmly, forcing me to say something.

     "Hi." I grunt. I look down at my feet, wondering why I'm here in a conference room with a complete stranger.

     "America" sticks out his hand for me to shake. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Alaska."

     I glance up at his hand for a moment, then look back down at the floor.
     "Not very talkative, I see." America says. He laughs awkwardly and I just fidget with my fingers and make a disapproving grunt.

     Russian Empire tugs at my hand again and I look up into his bright blue eyes. "Stop being so rude," he says.

     "Why am I here?" I finally blurt out.
     There's silence for a couple of seconds. Then Russian Empire says, "You're going to stay with America for the time being."

     Wait... staying... with America? I'm not going with him if it's the last thing I do. "Why must I stay with..." My eyes scan America from head to toe in a judgmental manner. "...him?"

     "It's only to protect you, Alaska," Russian Empire kneels down so he's my height and rubs my shoulder. "I'd rather give you to America than have you taken away by someone else."

     His silly attempt at calming me down doesn't work. It makes me come to the realization.

     "So you're- just- giving me away 'willy-nilly' to strangers?!" I explode. Russian Empire flinches back as I throw his hand off my shoulder. "Is that all I am to you?! Just a piece of property that you can give to someone else?!"

     The Russian Empire and America exchange weird glances. I am just a piece of property that he can give to someone else. He doesn't care about me.

     "Alaska..." Russian Empire says in his softest voice. "I'm not giving you away... I'm-"

     "So you're selling me." I realize. I cross my arms and look at the two men who look down at me. "That's even worse..."

     "This is for your safety, Alaska. You must understand that. America will take good care of you, more than I ever can. Please, do this for everyone."

     There was silence. I stare at the Russian Empire and he stares back at me with loving eyes. "I promise," he says. "I promise we will meet again some day."

     A tear rolls down my cheek as the Russian Empire pinches my face in a playful manner. He smiles and I nod, looking back over to America. I grab America's hand and we walk towards the door on the other side of the conference room.

     I look back at the Russian Empire, who's still kneeling on the floor, his face tear-stained. "До свидания." I say.

     He waves and America shuts the door behind us.

The Russian text in the second-to- last paragraph says "goodbye". If it's wrong please tell me (I used google translate).

This one was kind of rushed because I didn't post yesterday.

It's kind of sad to think that Alaska never saw the Russian Empire again before he died so he never fulfilled that promise :(