(Fem!FrUk) Limits

Love and Loss

(May 30, 1431)

"I will never forgive you for this." The brown haired woman screamed over the roar of the flames. Alice was sure she had never seen Francine in such a state, openly weeping over the charred remains of a human.

"I don't care if you do." Alice insisted, turning her back to Francine. They were nations, this was war. When humans got caught up in war even good people, innocent people, died. As tragic as it was, it was an unchangeable fact. Besides it wasn't as if this could have been avoided, right? Humans aged and died, but nations would live on, at least until their collapse. This is why they fought, struggled, and strived for power. And nations felt it. Every time a human died caught up in war. Whether they were soldiers or civilians and it hurt. Even as the centuries progress bringing along battle after battle war after war in a seemingly endless cycle, it still hurt. So why was she so upset over the loss of one girl? Alice did not look back as she asked, "Why?" Francine only laughed, it was a bitter and strangled sound barely audible over the flames that continued to burn.

"Because I love..." Her voice wavered, "because I loved her." She finished softly. This time, Alice did look back but remained silent. "Have you ever loved Angleterre?" She asked wistfully.

"Humans die you know," Alice stated bluntly as if the other girl hadn't spoken at all. "You knew--You..." Alice took a deep breath before continuing. "So why? How...I mean, how could it be worth it if you knew that she would eventually die and you would live."

"Because, Alice" Alice winced at the sound of her name, "some things are worth the pain they may bring." Alice laughed bitterly. She never understood why nations needed have human feelings it left them so vulnerable. They existed as an embodiment of their country so their time wasn't limited like a humans. Trivial things such as love and hate happiness and sorrow, weren't necessary. They didn't need to love marry or to live on through their children or families. They only needed to progress and concur, to expand their territory. That was how nations lived on and anyone who couldn't do just that wasn't fit to be a nation. Still that night she left with Francine's words echoing persistently as she tried to push the incident to the very back of her mind.

...

(December 30, 1940)

Gray clouds promising rain hung low over the city. Last night's attack had been the worst one yet. There had been almost 30,000 casualties and nearly the same number of injuries. Alice hobbled through the broken streets scanning the charred demolished remains of building for survivors. Everything hurt the bombs had come down on her relentlessly. Somehow up until the bombings started it all seemed like another silly dispute that would pass by like all the rest had. She knew all too well that war was not to be taken lightly under any circumstances. But an attack of this magnitude was just...unimaginable Germany was truly set on turning her into a Nazi territory. No, with an attack like that she was fully intent on killing her, and after last night the latter seemed like the better option. At least the pain would go away. Alice could still hear the people's screams. They were a constant echoing in the back of her mind and didn't show any sign of leaving. Her chest tightened again, she took a deep labored breath and sat down. Maybe she should have waited in bed at her house like Francine had told her to over the phone. She wasn't fully recovered yet, but still how could she possibly sit in her bed when there were so many injured and displaced citizens, what nation could? The pressure on her chest increased as she stubbornly tried to stand before she abruptly collapsed and lost consciousness.

...

"Because Alice, some things are worth the pain they may bring."

A pair of innocent sky blue eyes stared back into her own as she held out her hand, "Let's go home." She had said. The girl smiled brightly at her and held her hand tightly.