Icy Heart and Warm Love

Chapter Thirty-Three

"They've been waving that white flag for about...half an hour I reckon," an American soldier updated Britain.

The British general looked through the binoculars he was holding, noticing that the soldier was right.

Kuro and Lutz were taking turns waving a huge white flag on a distant hill, and Britain was starting to get confused and worried.

"They appear to be yelling out at us," Britain replied. "Well, specifically me."

"Any idea on what they're sayin', General?" the Texan soldier wondered.

"As a matter of fact, I do," Britain stated, putting the binoculars down at his side. "Due to my unfortunate knack of reading lips from my...younger years, they want me to speak with them. Alone, to be precise."

Since Britain was the human personification of, well, Britain, he needed to keep his identity as a pirate, and many other things, a secret.

"But I reckon you're not going alone, right?" the soldier questioned.

"I will bring some backup in case something goes wrong, yes," Britain smirked. "You don't have to worry about them, okay? They're not going to hurt you. Not if I have anything to say about it."

The Texan nodded, going back to his friends.

Britain walked into the tent again, seeing that his friends and Kalda were still in there.

"What happened?" Kalda asked, seeing Britain grab a glass of water instead of tea like he normally would have.

She knew that was a sure sign that something was up, and she didn't like the feeling that she was getting in her stomach.

"Well, it appears that our...uninvited guests over yonder are waving a white flag and asking for me specifically to come over there, alone, to speak with them," Britain explained casually before drinking his entire glass of water.

"And you're casual about that why?" America asked, shocked.

"Well, it's nothing to get in a tizzy about," Britain answered, getting some more water. "They can wait."

"What's more important than talking to them now?" America questioned. "If they have a white flag, then we need to go and see what's going on."

"My thoughts exactly," Britain agreed, "but I can't just walk over there on my own, now can I?"

"Isn't zhat why you came to us in zhe first place?" France asked flatly, unamused.

Britain looked around awkwardly, suddenly becoming confused.

"Yes...I guess that's why," he said, still seeming confused. "Uh...what's going on, exactly?"

"And this is why you always drink tea instead of water," Kalda smirked, forcing a tea cup into his hand. "You're going through a tea withdrawal, and it's making you sound like the old geezer that you are."

America laughed at that, Britain ignoring them both as he drank his tea.

Then he dropped the glass cup onto the ground, suddenly becoming more alert and his old self.

"There's something that I have to tell-" he started, but he was cut off.

"Let me guess," France interrupted with an eye roll. "Zhe Second Player Axis are waving a white flag a long way from here and asking for you to talk to zhem alone?"

"Yes, actually," Britain replied, turning serious. "How did you know?"

"You told us during your tea withdrawal," Kalda laughed, and Britain blushed madly in embarrassment.