The Courage of Italy

~9~

"The advancement from them is becoming too much." Arthur stated at the table.

"Too much?" Alfred scoffed, "More like too deadly. This wasn't what we thought would happen."

"They're desperate now and they will take any means to survive this." Yao noted.

"Then why do what they are doing? They can't gain what they want, it's done. We have the hand on them, don't we?" Feli asked.

"There are times in war Feli that some people will take drastic measures in order not to lose." Ludwig gave a quiet reply, "WWII was on. When the Nazi's realized the truth and what would come to them, they wiped out villages and survivors of the camps just to slow the advancing enemy. This is what Genesis is doing now."

Silence filled the room as Feli sat there, more worried than before of the terrorist group. Gaining Rome was to be the good thing, that they had beat them to the catch and be farther ahead of them...but now?

"Sate nani o shiyou ka?"

"Je ne sais pass."

The deep defeated feeling was overcoming the room as they all sat there. The very world they were trying to protect was falling, either with them or against them. He was terrified himself that things would be worse if they, themselves, didn't act soon. A soldier came forth, saluting them as he handed Arthur a note, quickly being dismissed.

"Shit." was all he let out, rubbing his face as his features turned grim, "They have Istanbul and Reykjavik now. Fuck!"

His heart clamped shut. Sadiq just got back his capital just to have his city taken away and now Emil's was taken as well. What more did they want?

"Gentlemen, I think it's time for last resort." Ludwig announced.

Feli waited for the protests, the shouts of disagreements and other plans, yet the room was quiet. No fighting or bickering, nothing. Just the harsh reality upon their laps. He felt his own lips tremble at the thought, he knew he wasn't the only one, he could see the others from his peripheral. A lone tear slipped past Ludwig as Ivan covered his eyes. Alfred held back and wiped his nose as Arthur let out a shaky breath with Yao and Kiku laid his head down upon the table as Francis wiped his eyes. It was their only option left. And it was killing them all.

"For our wives and children." Ludwig announced, his voice trembling, "For the freedom of the world."

All he could do was nod as the others placed quiet hear, hears. He knew it was all that was left. It just killed him of what it was.

He found himself back in his home. His mind floating back and forth between the meeting from earlier that week. He couldn't help but let it sit there. It really was all that was left.

Shaking his head, he walked towards the bedroom knowing Chloe was readying for their day out. He was hoping to make it a memorable one for her. One that she wouldn't forget. He remembered her face when he placed his ring on her finger, how she just glowed in happiness as tears slid down her sweet cheeks. He wanted that again for her, he just hoped she'd be away by the end of it. Lovino promised to help him. To make sure everything went to plan and that he'd watch over things.

Entering the room, he found Chloe sitting at her vanity, her eyes glossy as she gingerly touched her neck. His heart sank as he watched her loath herself once more. Walking up to her he watched as she wrapped a small chiffon scarf around her neck, hiding what laid beneath it. He quietly grabbed her hand, pausing her rush to tie it up. He pulled the cloth free as her neck was bare to him. There upon the delicate white skin of her throat laid a ridged pink scar. Unnoticeable unless on top of it, yet it sent her back into her self-loath. He gently kissed the mark, gaining a shudder as she tried to speak.