Memories of Old

Chapter 50: The Beauty of a Bond

Chapter 50: Beauty of a Bond

"Scusa? Did you say something?" Romano asked, looking over at me. I shook my head, returning to the present.

"N-no..."

"Liar." Luciano muttered softly, but he knew better than to press the topic. Only he and Yang knew what had happened.

Feliciano glared at those eyes. "You! You've been watching me, haven't you?! Think it's funny, do you?! Watching me fail again and again! Are you some new Thing?"

I flinched. How could I have been so cruel?

"You had no way of knowing... it was a natural reaction." Luciano soothed.

"Was it a Thing?" China asked, but I shook my head.

"No... she wasn't." I smiled softly as my past self took off after the whiteish silver blur.

Eventually, Feliciano found himself in a beautiful clearing. There was a glade with crystal clear water, and a small brook that bubbled into it. The stones at the bottom were smooth, and several koi swam around.

The grass blew softly in the breeze, and the flowers danced in the sunlight as it filtered down through the trees. The place had a sort of serenity to it that promised safety.

"Where is this?" France asked in awe.

"Is... is this kind of place really on the Mansion's Grounds?!" Feliciano gasped, temporarily forgetting his objective.

"It is beautiful." Hungary smiled softly, as she admired some flowers. "It reminds me of your meadow back home."

"Holy Rome's." I corrected.

"I beg your pardon?" Austria turned to me, confused.

"It's not my meadow... it's Holy Rome's Meadow. And this... this is Our Glade." I sighed.

"'Our' Glade? Like you and Acel?" Prussia spoke up.

"No... mine and..." My breath left me when I caught sight of her stepping out from around a large bolder. The other nations noticed my pause and followed my gaze.

She stood there, in the warm sunlight... A wolf... at first glance she looked white, but on closer inspection, her coloration would make her a silver wolf. Her eyes were a deep sapphire blue, which contrasted drastically against her white fur, making her look almost possessed. She stood at a good height—maybe 3 or 4 feet—and she looked to be fully grown.

"It's her... she's your Bonded." Asher realized as he drank in the image of what was, essentially, his baby sister.

Romano's head shot up at that. "She's your Bonded?" He asked, and several nations also blinked in surprise.

"Wait! You met your bonded in a place like that?!" Germany grimaced. "What awful circumstances."

I didn't say anything. I watched as Feliciano sat there, crouched in the grass, transfixed by the wolf who was cautiously approaching.

They were a breath apart, now, and neither seemed to know what to do. Feli put his hand up, allowing the wolf to make her choice. She hesitated only a moment before she bumped her head to Feli's hand.

There was a spark. A slight hiss in the air, as the wolf let out a yip of pain and surprise, and Feli 'eep'ed as he lost his balance and fell on his butt. "What the...?!"

"You are...?" Feli's head whipped up.

"Wh-who said that?!"

"Me..." The wolf stepped forward.