Once Upon a Time in Hetalia!

Il Principe Ranocchio - Italy x Reader P1

Venice, Italy
1585

The sun setting over the centuries-old "City of Water" was truly a sight to see for Dama (y/n) (l/n). The balcony of her room high in the Doge's palace - her father's palace - afforded her this breathtaking view of the canals that looked like liquid gold from their reflecting the sun. But it wasn't just that. It was her home. She had been born and raised in this very palace herself. And home, after all, is where the heart is. And as far as (y/n) was concerned, Venezia would always have her heart.

With that thought in mind, the young dama let out an emotionally weary sigh. Although the Repubblica di Venezia would always be her home, she had the feeling she wouldn't be living here for much longer. After all, she was now sixteen and of age to marry. No matter her social standing, a young woman typically married and had her first child by the time she was eighteen or nineteen. (Y/n) knew ever since she was old enough to understand such things that it was very likely going to be the same for her.

And given that her parents were the Doge and Dogaressa of Venezia, she knew they were going to be very attentive and particular as to the man she eventually married. Fortunately, her mother and father loved her enough to allow her to give her honest consent. After all, this was her future they were talking about.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard a knock on the door to her room. "Mi scusi, signorina," her head lady-in-waiting said behind the closed door. "But your madre and padre are awaiting you downstairs." (Y/n) drew in a fast breath as she remembered how important tonight's dinner was supposed to be. She stood straight and called back to the woman she often thought of as a second mother.

"Tell them I will be down shortly, Maria!" She then heard the ruffling of the maid's skirts and her shoes against the marble floor as she went to do as her lady asked. Once she did leave, (y/n) took one final look at herself in her mirror - another luxury afforded to her. Her floor-length dress was the color of wine, with gold material bordering the hem of her skirts and neckline. Her (h/l) (h/c) was fashionably styled and held in place by a red and gold headdress.

(Y/n) let out a small sigh and smiled slightly in satisfaction before she took up her skirts in her hands and went to leave her room. As she then walked through the dimly lit marble halls of her home, she let out another sigh as she half anticipated and half dreaded the coming evening. Hopefully her long sleeves would keep her warm enough so she wouldn't have to shiver nervously.

Before long, she stood in front of the door leading to her family's private dining room near the Scudo Room - the main hall where her parents hosted audiences and received guests, named so because it was decorated with her family's coat-of-arms. (Y/n) ordered herself to stand straight and act like the sixteen-year-old she was. Given who her parents were hosting tonight, she knew she was going to have to contribute to their effort to make a good impression.

One of the footmen on either side of her knocked on the door and announced her entrance. "La Dama (y/n) (l/n), mio signore e signora." Her father then gave his permission, and the door was opened for (y/n), allowing her inside. The decorative gold in the medium-sized room glowed from the evening's sunset through the large window on the other side. But that wasn't what (y/n) focused on the moment she walked in.

Sitting across from her appropriately dressed parents was a young man she'd never seen before, along with an older couple she assumed to be his mother and father. This was the man and his family she and her parents were expecting? Not that it displeased her, it just wasn't what she first thought she'd see.