Fixing a Broken Country

another side of the story

Maria's Pov

I walked around, looking for Esmeralda. I found her behind the house, smoking away at a cigarette.

"Esme you known smoking is bad."

"It helps me calm my nerves. Or so Francois says." She kept smoking.

"Why did you run out?"

"Guess."

"Isa?"

"That's one of them." She let out a puff of smoke. I coughed.

"Talk Esme. Before I make you." She rolled her eyes. "Now put it out."

"Fuck off."

"Do it." She groaned before tossing it to the floor, stopping on it to put it out.

"There. Ya happy?"

"Very. now talk."

"You're not my fucking therapist."

"Soooo what I'm hearing is truth spell?" She rolled her eyes.

"What do you know about me and Allen?"

"Only that you're married, or divorce depending on who ya ask, and that both of you had twins before Spain did you-know-what. Also that he's crazy. Period." She let out a small smile.

"That he is. What do you see in your Alfie? A hero huh?"

"Always. I know he tries his best to make the world a better place, even if some of us are stubborn..." Like me...

"Well, mine just fucks shit up. Most of the time, he ended up hurting me or the kids. Our marriage was...rocky at best. The bastard lured me in, and once he got what he wanted, he started going out looking for anything with a hole. I knew he had mistresses all over the country, but there was just this part of me that wanted to be oblivious, that wanted to pretend everything was perfect: just like a little dollhouse. Just like I had wanted...often than not that led me to go visit Luci or Ollie. Ya can ask them how many times I would go to them crying, you'd be surprised..." she pulled out another cigarette and started to smoke again, but I didn't stop her. It seemed that without it she would become more fidgety. "It didn't help that Spain had left me with the impression that a woman should just stay quiet, or else she would be beaten to a pulp. Austria did it for the heck of it. I swear he got a kick out of it." She breathed in the smoke, before letting it out. She looked calmer now, but her eyes looked glossy.

"Why didn't you tell me?... I could at least try to help..."

"You had your own issues kid, and I didn't want to ruin your fairy tale with my piece of shit. After I lost Cali and the others, I decided to divorce him. Back then it was taboo, so essentially I had to get Allen arrested just so I can marry again...that's what I did. I tipped off the police, and he was arrested. He was pissed, sure, but I felt free...the only problem was taking care of the kids. Some of them thought I was a traitor for ratting their dad out but...it had to be done. I didn't want them to be there if things got too violent..." She let out another puff of smoke, before continuing. "I struggled on my own for like a decade or so, until I essentially got help. Luci would come over from time to time, and so would Ollie, however he didn't do it as often as Luci did. Luciano didn't threaten me, leave me for fast fucks, or do anything to indicate any harm to me and my children. I thought I was doing something wrong due to how I had been taught...until he helped me realize that I had not been in the wrong. It had been Allen." I was left speechless. I had no idea Esme had it THAT bad, she put out the cigarette before continuing. "After Allen was freed he tried to come back, promising he would change. As much as I was happy with Luci, I wanted to give him a second chance. Luci helped me realize, however, that one time was enough for him. It wasn't until my country had hit a depression that Isa came along. Just like Allen, she lured me in with words, and as desperate as I was I believed her. Unlike Allen, however, she gave results. She went through with promises made: a promise to give me the fairytale that I had always wanted with Allen. You know how sweet Isa's words can be..."

"I know that feeling all too well...You just need more time to think this through since Allen is a known manipulator like Isa."

"True...but time was never on my side. After the whole war reality crashed for me, and with it came the consequences of what I've done. From the start Allen had been supportive, visiting me with the kids when I was thrown in prison. That didn't last long...he never came back after...after...I found out my kids were killed through the warden, not by Allen. He didn't come to give me the support I needed. Luci did, once they gave him rights. People say I left him once I got out, but the truth is he left me long before I was in prison. He did love to play the victim, it helped lured in more whores..." She didn't notice the tears that slowly started to fall as she put out the cigarette. "The last thing Isa did, however, was to convince me to drag you into this. She told me that if things got better over there, they would over here. It wasn't until she showed herself to you I realized what she wanted: I was thrown like trash once again. Life just loves to support what Spain had told me long ago: You're only useful when you open your legs. That's all you'll ever be, something men use to achieve their high... And so far, he's been right..." I noticed her tears had started to fall faster.

"Ah come on...you're great mother, a loving significant other, a great military leader and so on."

"Pretty sure I failed at parenting...why do you think I only have half of the kids? Allen won custody of the others..."

"I have only half too despite being together with Alfred."

"At least ya see him...I don't..." She wiped the tears away.

"That's because he pursues me and I pursue him. It's one sided with you and Allen."

"Must be nice though...to have someone stick with ya..."

"It is...But don't beat yourself up about it."

"I'll try kid. Let's get ya back, bet ya dying to get home. "

"Yes...But it is nice to fully get to know you."

"trust me, some of us 2ps just wish we had your life." I can only imagine. So sad...esme wiped her tears away and Both of us headed inside, Esme completely ignoring the redhead who tried to talk to her.

"Ollie, can you take us to our world?"

"why of course poppet!! Tell me when you're ready!"

"f off Allen" Esme was trying to push Allen away as he tried to hug and apologize. I rolled my eyes.

"we're ready Ollie... I'll see ya soon ok?"

"I'll be looking forward to you coming back! Oh! Take some treats I made!" I took the treats he gave to me and smiled.

"cupcakes!!! Are they red velvet?!"

"Most certainly!"

"My favorite!! Thank you, Ollie!" I hugged him tightly.

"No problem.You all ready poppet?"

"mhm. Take care of Esme okay?"

"Will do poppet." Ollie then cast a spell, sending us back to the 1p world.