A Waltz in the Dark (Norway + OC Hetalia fanfiction)

Chapter 20

    Norway wasn’t able to stay up for very long, not even after consuming the watery coffee. So he went to bed.
    His last clear memory of the night was of Mary, smiling as she stared up at the colorful sky. His last sound was her quiet ‘goodnight’ as he left the room.
    And now he lay in bed, replaying the night in his head. It was early, considering how late it had been when he fell asleep; it was only ten. He sighed and sat up. He may as well go see if breakfast was ready.

*

    Lukas wouldn’t believe it. The priest’s words echoed through his mind, but he just couldn’t accept what he knew must be the truth.
    She can’t be dead.
    “Why do you care?” asked the spirit in his head.
    “She was my friend!” he exclaimed aloud as he ran across the grassy field, in the direction the priest had pointed.
    “She betrayed you.”
    “Maybe so, but I don’t blame her,” Lukas snapped. There was a steep hill in front of him, and he shoved aside the spirit’s voice as he dashed up it. As he neared the top, he slowed.
    There was a circlet of boulders on top of the hill. The largest boulder had an inscription written on it: Aud the DeepMinded. That was all. But nothing more was needed.
    Lukas walked slowly toward the grave. His breathing became deep, sobs building up in his chest. But then, he heard a sound. He held his breath, wiping his eyes on his sleeve and listening carefully.
    It came again. The sound of crying.
    Lukas walked around the boulders, where the sound was coming from. On the other side of the hill, in the shadows of one of the boulders, was a small shape. A boy. Lukas slowed as he approached. The little boy’s shoulders shook violently as he cried, his hands over his face. Lukas’s heart ached as he knelt down next to him. The boy jumped and looked up.
    His watery eyes were violet.
    “Why are you crying, gutt?” Lukas asked.
    “Aud is d-dead!” the boy exclaimed through shaky breaths, a few strands of his silver hair falling in his eyes. “And now I-I’m a-alone.”
    Lukas stared at him, his own eyes filling with tears. There was something different about this toddler. And he had an inkling as to what.
    “What is your name?” he asked.
    “Emil,” the boy whispered.
    “Nei, vhat is your real name?”
    The boy’s sad face darkened as he stared into Lukas’s eyes.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･゜ﾟ･*:.｡.:**･

   
    Mary opened her eyes, the smell of oatmeal in the air. She realized she was on the floor of the observatory room, her Norwegian flag blanket pulled up to her chin. She rolled over onto her back. The sky looked the same as when she fell asleep— a dark blue twilight. She looked at the time on her phone. It was a little after ten. She sighed and looked back at the dark sky. The polar night wouldn’t take long to adjust to. She was already in love with the hazy darkness.
    She sat up with a groan, rubbing her eyes.
    And then she remembered her dream.
    She dropped her hands to her side, frowning as she replayed it in her mind. The setting had definitely been from sometime in the Viking Age. Mary shook her head. It had looked so real. But then again, her dreams always did.
    Though I’ve never had one like that before, she thought, running her fingers through her tangly hair. I really am obsessed, aren’t I? That was so realistic… Professor Bondevik was in it, too, except all vikingish and stuff. Where did that little boy come from, though? She searched her mind. It was a psychological fact that every person in your dreams you have seen before at least once in your life, even if it was only in passing. But she was sure she would’ve remembered a boy with silver hair and violet eyes.
    “Mary?”
    She looked up as Lukas came to stand behind the couch, looking down at her. She smiled at him.
    “Good morning, Professor!” she said, but then paused. “I mean, Lukas.”
    “Vere you here all night?” he asked with surprise. She nodded and stood, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders.
    “Vell, ah, there is breakfast if you’re interested,” he said, turning and walking toward the door.
    “Hey, Lukas?” Mary said, walking around the couch. He paused at the door and looked back.
    “What was your brother’s name again?” she asked, frowning.
    “Emil.”
    Mary humphed, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
    “Vhy do you ask?”
    “I had a dream last night… you were in it. But anyway, there was this little boy with silver hair and… well, his name was Emil,” she shrugged. “It was cool dream. It was during the Viking Age, or it looked like it, at least… and… you were mourning someone. It was really sad…” her heart felt heavy inside of her chest as she remembered the pain and sadness. The dream had felt real, too.
    Lukas stared at her, his eyes wide.
    “What?” Mary asked after a minute, slightly unnerved by his gaze.
    “Who… who was I m-mourning?” he asked.
    “The dream is kind of fading now, so I’m not entirely sure, but… I think it was Aud the DeepMinded.”
    She frowned.
    “Are you all right? You look sort of pale… Why do you care about my dream?”
    “Nei,” he said, shaking his head quickly, as if to snap himself from a trance, “I yust think it’s interesting h-how you vould have a dream about the Viking Age. It’s cool, ja, th-that’s all…”
    And then he turned and exited the room without another word.